The Mark
by Samara Morgan-ring
Summary: Van Helsing finds a child with a strange mark n her arm, compelling himt o take her home. 14 years later, evil comes for revenge, i suk at summeries but this is better than it sounds!
1. The Child

Gabriel Van Helsing walked silently in the woods close to the Transylvanian village where reports of deaths had been piling high on the Orders doorstep. One survivor of an attack supposedly saw a "man wit' dark scaly skin and a meanness in his fiery red eyes." So naturally Gabriel was sent to retrieve it. It had been four years since he had been in the country, four years since Anna's death. Four years since the defeat of the vampires, four years since he learned who he was; his essence. It really hadn't made that much difference to him; as the left hand of God he had to fight evil anyways, but he felt as if his purpose had more meaning.  
A scream brought him out of his musings. Van Helsing quickly ran into the village where most of the citizens were cowering in their beds. A scream came again, from his left. He spun and saw a window blowing in the wind. Van Helsing quickly ran and jumped in the window like a cat, landing on his feet. He walked down the narrow hallway he had landed in. He reached a door and opened it. A man and woman lay face up, their mouths frozen in an NO of terror. Slashes on their faces bled profusely. Van Helsing heard two more screams and ran into the hallway, down to the screams, and opened it just in time to see two young boys, no more than 7, with brown hair and blue eyes, fall to the floor, lifeless. They had the same slashes as their parents; four parallel lines from the middle of their foreheads to the bottom of their throats. Their murderer stood above them, claws raised, looking just like the survivor described it.  
Van Helsing cleared his throat, the creature looked at him. "Yes Mr. ... uh, John Doe-"  
  
"Itssss Mr. Ssslythe, if you pleasssse." The creature hissed.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Slythe then, you are wanted by the order for the murders of, lets see, counting tonight, that would be the murders of 11 men, 9 women, and 13 children. The Order wishes you dead, and I see no reason to go against their wishes." Van Helsing said calmly. Mr. Slythe just hissed and ran into the door opposite Van Helsing leading to another room. Van Helsing rolled his eyes and calmly followed.  
The room was filled with baby items, toys, cloth diapers, and a bassinet in the middle, which the Slythe was standing over, claws raised.  
This got Van Helsing moving a tad faster. He swiftly got out his crossbow, the regular, manual fire one. He put an arrow in it and fired, hitting the creature in the shoulder. Slythe hissed and backed up. Bassinet forgotten, he charged at Van Helsing. The latter quickly unsheathed his sword and impaled the creature on it. Slythe hissed but grew still as greenish liquid oozed out of him.  
"I did expect you to put up a better fight, Slythe." Van Helsing said, disappointed. The cries from the bassinet drew Van Helsing to look into it.  
In the bassinet, howling, was a baby maybe 9 months. The small bracelet on the flailing arms read DEIANIRA in large, childish writing; most likely one of the twins had made it for her. Van Helsing noticed something silver on her left shoulder, when he looked closer he saw a half sun-moon mark there. The creature hadn't touched the child, so it must have been a birthmark. It gleamed faintly in the moonlight as Van Helsing stared at the child. Instinct told him he should take her, not leave her here. When he picked her up, she quieted quickly. He bounced her up and down and she began to smile a bit.  
Van Helsing walked out the door, face to face with a small band of grim looking men.  
"Put my niece down murderer!" one of the grimmer men said, armed with a pitchfork and with a younger version of himself standing next to him. The copy looked about 10, underfed, and cruel. This confirmed Van Helsing's decision to take the girl. All the men were armed with, at most, a pitchfork. Van Helsing had to suppress a laugh.  
"So sorry, gentlemen, but I must be of." He said, giving a fake bow. Then he rushed back into the house and jumped out the window he had originally entered from. He ran through the woods with the baby to the coach that would take him 'home'.  
  
"Forgive me father, for I have sinned." Van Helsing said with the child still with him.  
  
"You were successful, then?" Cardinal Jennings said.  
  
"Yes." Van Helsing said. They got out of the confessional and went to the workshop.  
  
"What is that?" Cardinal asked, he had just noticed the lump Gabriel was holding.  
  
"A baby." Van Helsing took her out of his cloak and showed her sleeping form to the cardinal. "The creature killed her parents."  
  
"Then why didn't you leave her in her house for the village!" Jennings exclaimed.  
  
"Because of this." Van Helsing showed Cardinal Jennings the silvery mark.  
  
"She cannot live." Jennings said.  
  
Van Helsing was stunned, "and why the hell not?" He demanded.  
  
"We know nothing of that mark! For all we know, it's the devil's child!" Jennings shouted. "Eve her name is blasphemous! Deianira, second wife of the Greek hero Heracles, and killed her husband!"  
  
"I can sense evil, you know that. This child is not evil!" Van Helsing yelled. Jennings sighed, "Fine, let her live, but I'm not taking care of her."  
  
"Then who will?" Van Helsing asked, walking alongside the cardinal.  
  
"Congratulations, Van Helsing, you're a father." 


	2. The Rise

Van Helsing was in an ancient dilapidated mansion, his footsteps raising the dust that had been on the floor for God knew how long. He was looking for a group of 5 goblins that had been murdering people in a quiet Italian village near Rome. Gabriel had seen a creature running in here, a creature with red, slightly webbed, feet.

"Hello?" He called casually, walking along the corridors.

"Hello." A creature said mockingly to his right. Gabriel spun, facing a closed door. Van Helsing ran in the room and saw two goblins, both 8 feet tall, all with red, scaly skin.

"Mr. Van Helsing, so nice of you to pay a visit." One said in a deep voice as the other snickered. Van Helsing rolled his eyes; all evil things had a horrid sense of humor. Van Helsing got his spinning blades out and quickly disposed of one, the things bright blue blood coming out of the wound in his head. The other hissed and jumped at Gabriel, knocking the other blade out of his hand. Van Helsing gave the goblin a kick in the stomach that sent him flying across the room. The goblin snarled and stood up, but this time Van Helsing was ready, his sword drawn. He rushed at the demon and chopped its head off.

"Monsters are just getting easier and easier to kill." He sighed, disappointed. He sheathed his sword and went to look for the other three. He walked slowly through the manor, his ears alert. Van Helsing was about to think they had left when heard a hiss at the other end of the hall. He ran towards the noises, his crossbow ready. He was trying to decide between two doors when he heard two THUNKS like bodies hitting the floor to his right. He spun around and went to the door. As Van Helsing opened the door, he saw a young, raven-haired girl fall on the floor, a large goblin standing above her. Van Helsing quickly got another spinning blade and threw it at the creature's head, killing it instantly.

"WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!" The girl yelled at him, getting up.

"It looked like you needed help." Gabriel said.

"I did fine with the other two," the girl gestured at two other dead goblins, one stuck on the wall with a spear in its chest, the other with its head two feet away from the body, "I could have easily disposed of that one."

"Sorry, but-"The hunter noticed a long gash on the girl's arm, bleeding. "SEE!" He exploded, "You shouldn't take on more than 1 creature, especially the more powerful goblins like these, I knew taking you tonight was a mistake!"  
In the excitement of the battle, the girl hadn't noticed the wound, which now began to sting, ignoring it, she yelled,

"SO WHAT! I got a scratch, I'm not gonna come away from every battle unscathed Van Helsing!"  
He sighed inwardly at the name. It was his fault Deianira never called him father; he hadn't liked the idea of being one until the girl was 5 and constantly called him Gabriel or Van Helsing. A bit late to change his title, but he brushed that thought away as he argued with her.

"You should be more careful! What were you thinking taking three goblins on at once!?" He yelled.

"I did just fine and could have killed all of them if you hadn't interfered!" She said, glaring. Van Helsing sighed,

"Let's just go home Deianira, the horses are waiting."  
He turned and walked out the door, followed by the still-P.O.ed Deianira.  
  
When they got to the Vatican, Van Helsing went to the confessional and Deianira went to the infirmary to bind her now aching wound. A monk did it easily and even put a nice balm on the linen wrapping that would help it heal faster. Deianira thanked him and went to search for her friends.

"Malak! Bahlal!" She called, seeing them. The twins, who had been with the other young smiths making swords, turned at the sounds of their names and walked towards Deianira.

"Deianira!" Malak said, getting to her first. "How was it fighting goblins?"

"Great, it's such a step up from wizards." Deianira said.

"What happened to your arm?" Bahlal asked, noticing the bandage.

"Oh, when I fought the third one, he wasn't as easy as the other two." Deianira said, tactfully avoiding the fact Van Helsing had killed the last one. "I can't believe you two want to make weapons as opposed to using them."

The twins merely shrugged, identical grins on their cinnamon faces. "But without us, you wouldn't have the secret weapon we're working on." Bahlal said.

"What is it?" Deianira asked, intrigued.

"Secret. Father said not to show it to anybody until we have a large monster problem."

"When will that be, you think?"  
  
"The way this place tracks monsters? About a week." The twins answered in unison. The three friends laughed and felt an air of comfort around them; they had no idea how short it would last.

**Transylvania**

A group of maybe 30 men, women, and children walked into a castle, they were all dressed in black and red. Their leader, a young man with short blonde hair, lighted a torch as they proceeded. As they walked into a particular room, a hush fell over them. 

"This is The Place." The leader, Jacob, said reverently. Broken machines lay all around them, broken for 18 years.  
"The Place." The whisper traveled along the room in a hush.  
"Yes, The Place." Jacob repeated. "The Place that Dracula was sent back to our master, Satan, before his work was complete. Where Dracula died at the jaws of the despicable _Van Helsing_" he spat the word out like a curse. It had been a curse for 12 years, ever since Jacob received the vision of the devil telling them to worship Dracula and resurrect him when he was 11, making him the youngest leader ever.  
Jacob had the ingredients for the resurrection, a human skull filled with blood and the wing of a bat. The only thing was, Dracula had to be resurrected at a full moon, and in the spot he had died, though his brides would be resurrected wherever Dracula was.

"Set up." Jacob commanded. Everybody formed a large circle around the spot Dracula had been killed, the spot with the black stain on the floor. Jacob stood next to that spot, holding the skull and wing. Jacob dipped the wing into the blood and sprayed it on the floor, on The Place, as he chanted.  
"Macabre skull  
Blood of mortal  
Wing of bat, your kin  
Rise up  
Devil children  
Aleera, Marishka, Verona, and Vladslious Dracula!" At the last syllable, Jacob threw the skull on the floor, breaking it neatly in two, spilling the blood. The floor began to glow, and in front of Jacob, four forms began to rise from the ground. The forms resembled bats, the largest one surrounded by the other three, all of them were screaming, as they rose, they began to take on human form. When they were completely out of the ground and fully human, Dracula walked forward and said, grinning,

"And to whom do I thank for my brides and mine resurrection?" His eyes began to glow. The circle took a step back, all pointing at the tall hooded figure of Jacob. Dracula turned to Jacob, "And why, my good sir, did you resurrect me?"

"I received a vision from Satan to worship and resurrect you, his best wreaker of evil, my lord." Jacob said, getting on his knees, the rest of the cult did the same. Dracula looked surprised as his brides came up.

"Master, do we trust them?" Verona asked.

"Yes, Verona, the devil informed me of this." Dracula whispered.

**_Flashback_**

"Dracula!" A deep voice full of menace roared. Dracula walked swiftly into the chambers of Satan, "Yes, Lucifer?"

"Vladslious Dracula, you failed to kill Van Helsing, yet again were killed by it, by Gabriel, you deserve 1,000 times worse than the hell I gave you!" Lucifer roared, Dracula stood his ground, the devil continued, "Be that as it may, however, you are one of my best men, therefore, you shall live again. But! I will not send you up this time, Dracula, you and your brides must wait for my worshipers to resurrect you! Now go!" Dracula turned on his heel to leave, but the devil summoned him back, "All your powers will be restored to you, also, any male turned by you shall also have your mind control powers, my worshipers will not fail, see to it you do likewise."  
Dracula bowed, then left the chambers, eleven years ago.

**_End flashback   
_**  
"Very well," Dracula said, "But after the journey, my brides and I are hungry, who shall we dine on?" This was the test to see if they were worthy.  
  
"We have these four people prepared for you." Jacob answered, rising. He motioned for the chosen to come forward. A man in his 50's, a woman in her 60's, another woman in her 40's, and a young boy in his teens stepped forward, all had delighted grins on their faces as the vamps bit down on their necks and drank ravenously. When the vampires had finished, another matter came to Dracula, his army of the undead. 

"Which of you mortals will become undead to serve me?" He asked with a sweep of his hand. "Do you have those prepared too, boy?" He asked Joseph.

"Yes sire, how many do you wish?"

Dracula thought, he would usually turn all into his minions, but his last experience showed he might want mortal followers as well. Besides, he had not used all the undead at his disposal at the masquerade ball, he had used maybe half, which meant half were still intact to do his bidding.

"I will choose 10 of you." Dracula said. He walked in the excited crowd, looking everybody over; he would not make a mistake. He chose a tall man, Adam, his wife, Natasha, twin boys of 9, Abram and Adrian, a young 8 year old girl, Rubina, an 18 year old boy, Henrik, a 19 year old boy, Peter, a 16 year old girl, Eva, her 30 year old cousin, Stefan, a 24 year old woman, Viorica, and the youngest of the group, a 7 year old boy named Aiden. After their transformation, all of them tried out their bat shapes and hissed. They were not hungry, vampires seldom hungered.

"Ah, yes, now we shall go to Rome to take revenge on _that fool, Van Helsing_." Dracula hissed.

"Master, if I may?" Henrik said, quickly changing to human. Dracula gave a lazy wave of consent. Henrik continued, "Sir, why should you and your brides have to go search for Van Helsing?" Henrik said.

"Are you suggesting I do not extract revenge?" Dracula said in a menacingly cool voice.

"NO! Of course not!" Henrik exclaimed, that idea was preposterous to him. "What I am saying is, why not make HIM come for you? Here, in your own territory?"  
  
Dracula considered this, yes, it seemed much easier that way. "Good idea, boy. We shall stay here, and draw Van Helsing back to the place of his nightmares."

"But, master, why will we attract them with our attacks if we have food here?" Aleera asked, gesturing to their followers.

"Yes, we have plenty of food here, Aleera, but that takes away the fun of the hunt!" Dracula said, grinning and growing his fangs. He flew out the window with the other vampires, they may not be hungry, but they needed to learn how to feed.


	3. Of tag and children

There she was. The girl he had been searching for, standing behind an elm. She was oblivious to his gaze, and he intended to keep it that way until he was about to strike. He slinked along the woods quietly, careful not to make a sound. The girl did not sense his presence, looking the other way. He walked closer, closer, almost there, a few more steps... he stepped on a dry twig. The girl jumped around, saw him, grinned and ran.

"Come on, Bahlal!" The girl yelled at the boy, "you can run faster than that!"  
Bahlal just grinned and picked up the pace, following Deianira. Up ahead, Malak already had a hand on the large oak tree, but Bahlal was catching up.  
. Deianira put an extra spurt of speed on just before she reached the tree, hand only an inch away... when Bahlal tagged her.

"Your it!" The Muslim boy exclaimed happily. ((I have no idea if they played tag back then, but lets just say they did, makes life easier))

"Dammit!" Deianira said, but she didn't really mind, she was better predator then prey. "1, 2, 3..." The twins ran off to hide amongst the trees in the forest they were playing in, about a mile from the Vatican. Deianira kept counting, "37, 38, 39, 40! Here I come!" Deianira yelled. She was the silent stalker of the trio, a trait bred by 3 years of helping Van Helsing kill the monsters.

"Come out come out wherever you are..." Deianira whispered. She walked quietly along the trees, moving slowly, so as not to disturb a single leaf. She looked up ahead, there. Under the weeping willow's canopy, Bahlal crouched silently. Deianira slowly got to his left, and made her way to him. It was painful to have to move so slow, but... Just a few inches away, Bahlal was busy looking behind his right to notice her. Deianira jumped on top of him,

"Gotcha!" She yelled triumphantly. Bahlal got up and cursed under his breath. They were about to go find Malak, who was the best hider, when they heard horse hooves a few yards away. Van Helsing rode up to the two friends on a black stallion, a brown horse followed. The hunter said,

"Deianira, Cardinal Jinette wants us at the confessional, and Amul Hakim wants Malak and Bahlal to come back." Gabriel said, referring to the twins' father.

"All right, let me get my sister." Bahlal said. "MALAK! MALAK HAKIM! WE HAVE TO GO TO THE VATICAN!"

"You don't have to yell, I'm right here." Malak said, climbing out of a hole in a nearby elm. Malak was a contortionist; she could twist herself into incredibly small places.

"Well, children, let's go." Van Helsing said, turning around on his steed as the three teens squeezed on the brown stallion, then they galloped towards the direction of Rome.

"Jinette? You wanted to see Deianira and me?" Van Helsing said, walking into Jinette's office as he and the girl sat down.

"Yes, I have news for you." Jinette said, sitting opposite them.

"And that news would be...?" Deianira asked.

"Van Helsing, 18 years ago you defeated one many call the son of the devil." Jinette said. Van Helsing and Deianira waited for him to continue, "15 years ago, we received word a satanic boy called Jacob received a vision, telling him and others to worship and resurrect Dracula, and by the reports from Transylvania, they have succeeded.

"He's back?" Van Helsing said, a bit disbelieving.

"He's back." Jinette confirmed, "and we need you to stop him again."

"But how? The only way to kill him is a werewolf-"

"The devil is not one for forgiveness, we believe that something else may also kill him now." Jinette said.

"Where in Transylvania do we go?" Deianira asked.  
Jinette looked at Van Helsing, "same place as last time."  
Van Helsing nodded, not letting emotion show.

"We want you to bring Carl again, same reason, and also, this time we want a weapon maker to help you repair weapons and such." Jinette said.

"Malak and Bahlal!" Deianira said quickly.

"You mean Amul Hakim's children? Yes, they are talented, you'll have to ask them and their father first, however... go on, Carl will get you ready." Jinette said. Deianira ran out to tell her friends the news, but Gabriel stayed behind.

"Yes, Van Helsing?" Jinette said impatiently.

"Jinette, you have never liked Deianira, not since the day I first brought her here to live." Van Helsing hissed.

"No, I haven't." Jinette said casually.

"You are trying to get rid of her this way! That's why you are sending her!" Van Helsing said.

"Van Helsing, I am sending her to help defeat Dracula-

"- I did that last time, WITH ONLY CARL!" Gabriel said viciously.

"AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENED! The girl you loved died ,and DRACULA ROSE AGAIN!"

"Oh, SO THAT'S IT!" Van Helsing roared, grabbing the Cardinal by the robes and slamming him against the wall, "YOU WANT ME TO SO SOMETHING LIKE I DID WITH ANNA! KILL HER UNINTENTIONALLY SO NO ONE IS BLAMED!"

"GABRIEL VAN HELSING, YOU ARE BEING RIDICULOUS! I WOULD NEVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT! I WANT TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL PEOPLE, I BELIEVE DEIANIRA IS READY FOR THIS CHALLENGE, EVEN IF YOU DO NOT!" Jinette yelled.

"She better live." Van Helsing hissed, letting go. "She better live, with no permanent damage, if she dies, goes in a coma, loses a finger, you better watch your back." Gabriel walked out to get his weapons with the waiting children and Carl, leaving Jinette stunned in his chambers.  
  
A/N just had to give Van Helsing one of those protective scenes, anyways, action ahead in the next chappie! Review!!!


	4. The first attack

The five riders galloped into the town of working peasants. When they halted, all eyes were on them. Each of them dismounted slowly and with caution, until...  
"CARL!" One peasant woman yelled, running up to the monk (((three guesses who she is))).  
"Natalie?" The monk said as the woman pulled him into a big bear hug and nodded.  
"Yes!" Natalie said, and Carl hugged her back, "Carl, how are you?"  
  
"I'm fine Natalie, and you?" Carl said.  
"Fine, what brings you here?" Natalie asked. Just then, Van Helsing took his famous hat off.  
"Van Helsing!" One man cried.  
"Van Helsing!" Most of the villagers over 23 yelled. Gabriel tensed up.  
"It is Van Helsing everybody! The man that saved us from the vampires!" A man of about 25 yelled. The crowd cheered.  
"Well, this is certainly a different welcome then last time." Van Helsing said to Carl, who had finally broken the hug from Natalie.  
"Yes, yes it is. Natalie has agreed to let us stay with her. Let's go." The friar said. The five companions followed Natalie to the stables and then to her house.  
Natalie's house had three extra bedrooms. It was quickly decided that Carl and Van Helsing got private rooms, and the kids were stuck in one big room.  
Of course, it was just as they were sitting down, ready to take a load off when they heard the screech of vampires.  
  
"Quick Deianira, get your weapons!" Van Helsing said as he walked outside with his trusty auto-fire crossbow. Deianira followed in a heartbeat, she had all her weapons either in her bag or her belt.  
  
"Van Helsing?" One of the young villagers said, "there's something we forgot to tell you. They made more."  
  
"What!? More what?" Van Helsing said.  
"Vampires." Deianira said.  
"How do you know?" Gabriel said.  
"Because they're behind you." She said, aiming her crossbow at Gabriel, who moved and turned to see six bat-like creatures headed towards him.  
  
"GET INSIDE!" One of the villagers yelled as the crowd became chaos, all struggling to get home. Deianira took aim at the closest bat- thing, a girl of maybe 16 or 17. Deianira fired at her, but the thing just laughed and pulled the arrows out of herself. Deianira quickly got her Holy Water out and doused the tip of her crossbow into it. The girl-creature was chasing an old woman as a girl about Deianira's age screamed, "RUN GRANDMA RUN!"  
  
"Take this!" Dei shouted as she aimed at the young creature pursuing the woman. Deianira was about to fire when she felt a force collide with her back. She turned around and saw another creature, a boy- creature of perhaps 19 or 20, grinning as it picked her up in its claws.  
"Lovely view, isn't it?" He said, laughing. At least he was until Deianira got her sword out and nearly severed his foot from the rest of the boy. The creature howled in pain and dropped Deianira, who landed on a roof.  
"AHHHH!" She screamed as she tried to claw her way to a stop as she flew down the roof. Just then an extremely small vampire flew and caught her upside down. Deianira pulled a stake out to stab him and was an inch from his heart, when he let go. Deianira fell through the air and begun to think maybe she should have taken those trapeze lessons when the circus was in town, when yet another vampire, a huge male, caught her. Deianira finally had her stake out and was about to kill him when he cried out, "NATASHA!" and dropped her two feet from the ground. She landed on her back as this vampire and the others flew off, keening.  
"Dammit, twice I nearly got one." She grumbled standing up, looking for the others. Malak and Bahlal slowly crept their way out from behind an overturned cart, looking around cautiously. Carl, at the Church wall, had pushed Natalie behind his back to protect her. Van Helsing was putting his crossbow away while two feet away from him a woman with a stake in her heart was turning to ash.  
"He killed Natasha!"  
"He killed the vampire." Random cries went through the crowd as Carl and Van Helsing tensed up, then relaxed as they heard the cheers from the crowd.  
"Let's go back to my house." Natalie said. Malak, Bahlal, Carl, Van Helsing, and Deianira followed Natalie back to the house. They were about halfway their when a teenage girl with black hair came up to them, sobbing. The same pale girl who had screamed at her grandma to run.  
"Eva-kill-killed gra-grandmother!" The girl wailed leaning on Natalie.  
"She did!? Oh, Lucia, I'm so sorry." Natalie said hugging the girl. "Come on, you'll have to stay with me. It's okay cry it all out, it's okay." Natalie said soothingly. The girl nodded and walked with them.  
"Lucia is my second cousin." Natalie explained as they walked along, "She moved here with my great-aunt, her grandmother, a few months ago." She hugged Lucia again. When they got inside the house, it was decided that Carl would sleep with Natalie, ((not that way you nasty people out there)) Malak and Bahlal would stay put, and Deianira and Lucia would sleep in Carl's old room.  
Carl and Deianira got their stuff to move into the new rooms as everyone else retired into their quarters.  
  
((A/N, didn't really like this chapter but, oh well, review peoples, from now on all reviewers will be acknowledged in some way, shape, or form. Oh, and if you want to be in here as either a random villager or cult member, tell me the name and description, first 5 people!! 


	5. The Spy in their midst

Dracula's Castle  


Dracula paced back and forth in his private chambers. His followers had told him what they had seen; Van Helsing, the pesky monk, a Middle Eastern boy and girl who looked 14 and another girl who looked Romanian and around 12. ((Yes, she is 14 she looks young though.)) This information had not really told him anything on how to exact his revenge, but it had given him a faint idea... But now what he needed was one of the followers he had in the village to spy on them.

"HENRIK!" Dracula shouted. In the few weeks he had been with Henrik, he saw the boy's agile and loyal mind as an asset, making him one of his more trusted lieutenants.

"Yes, my lord?" The boy had flown into the room and transformed, kneeling, his brown eyes looking at Dracula.

"Henrik, tonight I need you to bring me Sarah, from the village. I believe she is friends with that barwench's cousin. She will be perfect to befriend the children. It is 9:00 now, I want Sarah here within an hour."

"Yes my lord." Henrik stood up and bowed as he transformed and took off into the night.  
Natalie's house.  
Deianira walked into the room with the remainder of her weapons and luggage as she dumped them on the cot. Lucia had already claimed the bed, where she was currently staring at the ceiling.

"Hello." The brunette said, eyes still staring at the ceiling.

"Hi." Deianira said, "Deianira."

"What? Deianira?" Lucia looked confused.

"It's my name." Dei laughed.

"Oh! I'm Lucia." The girl sat up and held her hand out.

"Know that. How old are you?" Deianira said, taking the hand.

"16, you?" Lucia asked for lack of anything else to say.

"14. So, um... how long have you lived in the village?"

"I moved here maybe five months ago with my grandmother."

"I'm sorry about her." Deianira said sadly.

"It is not your fault." Lucia said, "I saw you try to kill that vampire, I thank you for that."  
Not knowing what to say, Deianira got to unpacking her weapons and laying them out on her side of the room. After that was done, Lucia asked if she could see the weapons.

"Sure, go ahead." Deianira said as the older girl picked up a shirken ((the spinning blades))

"What are these?" Lucia asked in her thick accent.

"Shirkens. Samurai spinning blades, here watch this." Dei took the blade and activated it, making them spin.

"Wow!" Lucia exclaimed, "What else you got?"  
Deianira showed her the katanas, crossbow, stakes, knives etc. ((too damn many weapons)) When she was about to show Lucia her pistol, the older girl picked up a sprayer.

"Perfume? What does it smell like?" Lucia asked.

"No Lucia, that's not-"Dei started, but was too late as Lucia sprayed the gas, sniffed it, and passed out. Deianira groaned,

"I tried to warn you." She muttered, slapping her forehead.  
Deianira dragged Lucia onto the bed before flopping down on the cot, exhausted. She was asleep in a matter of seconds.  
  
"Deianira. Deianira?" Malak gently shook her friend, who groaned and shoved the arm away away.

"Come on Deianira, everybody else is up." Malak pleaded.

"Everybody else can go to hell for all I care." Deianira rolled over and pulled the covers determinedly over her head.

"Come on, we have pancakes" Malak tried to persuade, her hopes rising as Deianira lowered the blanket-and threw the pillow at her. The Muslim girl put her hands up to late as the pillow flew towards her head, bull's- eye. She looked down to glare at Dei, but the warrior had already pulled the blankets up over head.

"I didn't want to have to do this Deianira," Malak sighed, "but ye leave me no choice."

Deianira rolled over in the cot, like hell she was getting up. Malak walked towards her side of the room to her dresser, where a wooden bucket she had retrieved that morning was, she went out of the room for a moment then came back in, the bucket was spilling water all over the place.

"Guttenmorgen Deianira." She said as she dumped the pail of water all over the cot.

"MALAK!" Deianira yelled as she sprung up, soaked, the blanket around her shoulders. She lunged at the other girl.  
Malak dodged and ran out the door, shrieking, Deianira closely behind.

"MALAK HAKIM YOU ARE DEAD WHEN I GET TO YOU!" Deianira said. Malak ran, laughing, into the kitchen, Deianira following right behind. All of the others were sitting at the table, eating, that is, until the two girls ran in. Then they stared as Deianira chased Malak around the table, but Van Helsing soon got over the shock. When they ran past him (the third time) he put his hand out and caught Deianira in the stomach, nearly making her fall down.

"What was that for Van Helsing?" She asked angrily.

"You're chasing Malak." Van Helsing replied.

"She poured water on me." The still wet girl said indignantly.  
"If you had woken up, I wouldn't have had to tell her to."

"You did what!" Deianira shouted.  
At the other end of the table, Malak had sit down next to Bahlal and Lucia, who was watching the two Van Helsings bicker.

"Are they always like this?" Lucia asked.

"Pretty much. Dei and Van Helsing have this thing for arguing, they can't get enough of it." Bahlal said, digging into his pancakes.

"Don't worry; it will be over in a minute." Malak said, following her brother's suit. Lucia looked at Deianira and Van Helsing, who argued for a few more moments, then Dei sat down next to him as she received a plate of pancakes, the argument left behind.  
After breakfast, Deianira, Malak, and Bahlal went with Lucia to get a mini tour and meet her friend, Sarah.  
"Lets see, Church, houses, pub, castle, well, forbidden woods." Lucia said quickly, pointing to each of these places.

"Now, let's meet Sarah."

They walked to a small, one story house on the next street. Lucia went up to the doorstep and knocked.

"SARAH!! SARAH IT'S ME, I WANT YOU TO MEET SOME PEOPLE!" Lucia shouted. The door creaked open and standing there was a girl of maybe 15, her brown, messy hair went halfway down her back as her green eyes surveyed the three strangers.

"Alright." She yawned, scratching her head. "Give me a moment to get decent." The girl went back into the house.

"She seems a bit tired." Bahlal said as they waited.

"She's not usually like this, usually she's very awake and energetic." Lucia said as Sarah walked out of the door wearing a simple brown tunic and matching pants, her hair in a ponytail.

"Hey Sarah." Lucia said. "This is Deianira, Malak, and Bahlal. Guys, this is Sarah, my best friend."

"Hi." The three chorused.

"Hello th-th-there." Sarah said, stifling another yawn. The five began to walk along the dirt road.

"What were you doing last night?" Lucia asked.

"What do you mean? I wasn't doing anything." Sarah said quickly.

"Come on Sarah, look at you, you look as if you haven't slept all night. Tell me what happened." Lucia pressed.

"All right, all right." Sarah said, she would tell the truth, sort of. "I met up with this boy." She looked down and tried to act sheepish.

"A boy!" Lucia squealed. "Tell me about him Sarah!"

"His name is Henrik, he is from a village a few miles from here." Sarah said. "He is 19, and I think I'm in love."

"Tell me more Sarah!" Lucia said, wanting details.

"Deianira, Malak, Bahlal, tell me about yourselves." Sarah said, changing the subject.

"Umm... Malak and I are twins and weapon makers. Our father is a scientist from Persia, he moved to Rome after our mother died in childbirth where we met Deianira and Van Helsing." Bahlal said.

"And I have lived in Rome for as long as I can remember, though Van Helsing found me when I was very young during one of his assignments, since I was the only survivor, he took me with him. I am a fighter and help him with missions." Deianira said. Sarah thought that Deianira's accent seemed to change as she talked more, but ignored it.

"Why do you call him Van Helsing, not father?" Sarah asked.

"He always made me call him Van Helsing, though I think he regrets that now, I see him flinch a bit every time I address him, barely, but still a flinch." Dei answered. Her accent definitely seemed different, but Sarah didn't say anything. They were by the well now, and sat on the platform. "Tell us about yourself."

"I have lived in this village for a year now; I met Lucia 5 months ago when she and her gran moved in. She is a few months older than I, and that's about it." Sarah shrugged. The conversational children sat in silence for a bit.

"Hide and go seek, anyone?" Bahlal suggested. The others nodded for lack of anything else to do. It was quickly decided that Bahlal would be it and they had to stay inside the village.

"98, 99...100!" Bahlal shouted from behind the well, "you better be ready, 'cause here I come!"  
He looked around, not a trace of them. He walked along the dirt road, avoiding the peasants that were out. Something darted in the corner of his eye, he spun around and saw Sarah running towards the well, he took off after her,

"I'm gonna get you!" He shouted as she just laughed. He ran a little bit faster with his arm about a foot away when she grabbed the well,

"SAFE!" she shouted.  
Bahlal swore and spat on the ground, turning to find the others. He turned the corner of the street and walked down, looking in people's trees and bushes. He was just straightening himself up when he spotted a foot sticking out from behind a wagon. He walked quietly over there and behind the cart. Deianira was still looking the other way.

"Boo." He whispered when he was a yard away from the cart, Dei turned, saw him, and fled in the direction of the well, Bahlal right behind. He dodged the peasants and obstacles as best he could as Dei vaulted, rolled and shoved things out of her way. Finally, they were out of the throng, a few yards away from the well. Bahlal could see that Malak and Lucia had snuck to the well and were motioning for Dei to hurry up. As a last attempt, he lunged for her and grabbed the neck of her shirt, accidentally tearing the sleeve off as he tumbled to the ground.

"GOTCHA!" He shouted, standing up triumphantly, the sleeve still in his hand. Deianira glared at him.

"You tore my shirt!" She yelled, "You little prick!" She touched the part where her sleeve had been moments ago.

"Sorry." He said, handing the sleeve to her.

"Is that a tattoo?" Lucia asked, pointing to the silvery half sun- half moon mark on Deianira's arm.

"What? This?" She looked at the mark. "Naw, that's my birthmark."

"Interesting." Sarah said, her eyes seemed to be soaking in every detail of the mark before she looked away.

"Malak! Deianira! Lucia! Bahlal!" Carl yelled from the other side of the street. "Come in, it's time for lunch!" The four bade Sarah farewell as they made their way to the house.  
  
That night at 10:00, Dracula waited by the open window. Soon, a large bat flew in, a girl in its claws. They both kneeled when they landed, Henrik changing into human form.

"Well, Sarah?" Dracula queried, "What did you find out about them?"

"My lord." Sarah said, looking up. "There are three children, Malak and Bahlal are twins who's father moved to Rome from Persia when there mother died in childbirth, not much of interest in them, they are here because of their weapon-making skills. The other girl, Deianira, does not know where she s from. Van Helsing found her during one of his assignments, the only survivor. He took her with him to Rome to raise her, she does not call him father, but she suspects Van Helsing wants her to. Her accent changed as she talked more, yet no one else seemed to notice it. Also, on her shoulder, there is a curious birth mark. It is silver, half of a sun and half of a moon meshed together, very...odd." Sarah finished.

"Yes, thank you, very, informative. Now go, I must think about my next move." Dracula waved his hand, and Henrik and Sarah were gone. He stood by the window, processing the information.  
  
Flashback ((again!))  


"VLADSLIOUS!" The devil roared. Dracula appeared in an instance.  
"Yes, my lord?" He asked.  
"There is one more condition to your resurrection." Lucifer roared, his red eyes flashing. "You cannot only be killed by a werewolf Vladslious! Now, He-Who-sent-Me-Here ((3 guesses who)) has informed me that one child shall have the power to kill you. The child shall be one of your country, a child of day and night will be your downfall. This time, Vladslious, if the child kills you, I will not have the pleasure of torturing you. He has told me you shall be banished to a place WORSE than this, Vladslious. I have heard of such a child, Vladslious, from a minion of mine a few years ago. Beware failure, Dracula, it shall not be pleasant." Lucifer waved his hand, signaling Dracula dismissed.  
End Flashback  
Dracula snapped out of his reverie and began to plan his next move. He was not worried; she was just a little girl. He would send his brides tomorrow to check all this out.  
"What part in my revenge should you play, Deianira?" He whispered to himself. He strode out of his study to find his brides.

(((Alrighty then, Sarah, I am afraid I took the liberty of describing you, but all you gave me was a name. Also, A CONTEST!!! I need the really cool weapon Malak and Bahlal were making, so tell me if you have any ideas. I do have one in mind, but I want to see the ones you come up with, please. REVIEW!!!))


	6. The brides

Purple clouds covered the sky over the dirt streets of the town. Rapid footsteps echoed in the otherwise silent air as Deianira rounded the corner in a sprint, running from three cackling shadows. Dei searched for the millionth time for the normal assortment of weapons she carried, but they were not there. She racked her brain for where she could have left them when a voice pierced her thoughts.  
  
"It's no use running little girl." The accented female voice laughed as the shadows came closer. Deianira kept running as the three shadows melted into one large one. The cackling became a deep menacing laugh. She tried to run faster, and ended up tripping over a rock in the ground. She rolled over on to her back and began to crawl backwards, her grey eyes widening as a black dot in the sky became larger, taking the form of one of the vampire bat-like creatures. REVENGE! The word echoed through Deianira's mind. Revenge is MINE!!! She clutched her head as the figure was almost close enough to make out; she saw it was wearing a jester's hat. It landed in front of her; it was Bahlal, in a jester's outfit. He began to laugh manically and do somersaults around her...  
  
Deianira sat up with a start, looking around the room and at the still sleeping Lucia, she exhaled, it had only been a dream. She laid back down, her brow furrowed as she thought of her dream, the word REVENGE echoing in her mind still. The teenager closed her eyes and fell back asleep.  
  
"You pour water on me again and you die." Deianira said with her eyes closed. Malak, her hand halfway to Deianira, laughed.  
  
"Come on, me and Bahlal are gonna show you the secret weapons we've been working on."  
  
"All right, all right, coming." Deianira stood up and followed Malak to the room the twins shared.  
  
"Finally, come here." Bahlal said, seeing Deianira and Malak enter the room. He led them to a bed which had a lumpy sheet.  
  
"Voila." He said, taking the sheet off with a flourish, revealing a small assortment of items.  
  
"Okay, see this sword?"  
  
"I'm not blind Malak."  
  
"Ha-ha, anyways, the blade is crusted with sharpened diamonds, and the hilt, if you press the emerald hard..." She demonstrated, causing a wooden spike to come out of the hilt.  
  
"Excellent." Deianira said, "what else you got?"  
  
"This katana contains garlic juice inside, when you stab something, it will come out through here." Malak held the tip close to Deianira, who saw a tiny liquid drop fall from it.  
  
"And this katana works in the same way with holy water."  
  
"Cool." Deianira took the twin blades.  
  
Malak showed her two long black bracelets with a button that, when pushed, activated a long wooden stake ((think Angel or Blade)). A whip with tiny metal blades on it that worked the same way as the katanas, and black gloves without a thumb pocket that had slender silver stakes at the four fingers ((think the female Wolverine in X2)) when activated.  
  
"All right." Deianira said, ignoring the feeling in her stomach she had whenever she looked at Bahlal, It was just a dream. She told herself as she walked back to her room with her new 'toys'.  
  
"What is it like, living in Vatican City?" Lucia asked later that day when they were sitting on the platform with Sarah.  
  
"Too much prayer." The trio answered immediately.  
  
"And too much Church." Deianira added as an afterthought.  
  
"But I thought you were working in the name of God?" Sarah said.  
  
"Trust me, just because you work for a guy don't mean you have to like him. I don't mind the Big Guy so much as all the worshiping of him. I mean, what kind of egotistical prick wants people to not only worship him, but be bored as hell while doing it?" Deianira said.  
  
"But Van Helsing is-"Sarah started.  
  
"I am not Gabriel." Deianira cut her off coolly.  
  
"What do you guys want to do?" Lucia said, changing the subject.  
  
"Let's show them the forest." Sarah said quickly.  
  
"If they want to." Lucia said, looking at the trio.  
  
"Yeah." Bahlal said as the girl's nodded.  
  
"Then let's go." Lucia said, standing up, leading the others into the forest.  
  
"Wait, isn't this place forbidden?" Malak said suddenly.  
  
"Yeah, so?" Sarah said, taking the lead.  
  
"Forbidden, as in, we're not supposed to be in here or big trouble?" Malak pressed.  
  
"Only if we're caught." Lucia said.  
  
"Shall we show them the cliff?" Sarah asked.  
  
"Sure, it has a great view." Lucia agreed as they walked deeper into the forest. Sarah kept silent, for there was more reason than just the view to visit the cliff.  
  
"Here we are." Lucia said as they finally made their way into the clearing with the cliff. "Lovely view isn't it?"  
  
The trio nodded in agreement, not speaking for three different reasons; Bahlal because he was terrified of heights, Deianira because she was thinking of how much fun it would be to dive into the river from there, and Malak because she thought the view was lovely.  
  
"Let's take a rest, okay?" Lucia said as the others nodded in agreement and sat down on the hard earth. Sarah seemed to be scanning the cloudy skies every now and then in the silence that had come over the group.  
  
"Is it ever sunny here?" Deianira complained, breaking the silence.  
  
"Nope, cloudy days all the time." Lucia laughed.  
  
"Do you hear something?" Malak asked suddenly.  
  
"No, noth-" Deianira stopped as cackles could be heard in the distance. "What is that?"  
  
"Dracula's brides." Lucia and Sarah whispered at the same time.  
  
"Quick, maybe if we go into the woods they'll pass us by." Sarah said, leading the others into the net of trees as the cackling got louder. Deianira was reminded of her dream and looked at Bahlal, who met her gaze, to panicked to notice the suspicious way she was looking at him as they heard the brides enter the woods.  
  
"Little girls, little boy, come out and play!" The red haired bride called out as the other two cackled.  
  
"That's Aleera." Lucia whispered to the trio from where they hid in a tree. The brides looked up at the noise and grinned.  
  
"Hide and seek is over children." The blonde one cackled as the three flew into the air cackling.  
  
"Get down!" Lucia yelled, jumping out of the tree onto the ground, followed by the others. They ran as fast as they could until Lucia bumped into the blonde bride.  
  
"You cannot run from us, children." She purred, walking forward menacingly.  
  
"What do you want Marishka?" Lucia demanded as the group backed up. Marishka grinned, her fangs growing and her eyes turning purple slits, then disappeared, reappearing behind Deianira.  
  
"The little Van Helsing." She said, grabbing the girl and flying upwards.  
  
"I AM NOT A VAN HELSING!" Deianira shouted angrily, "Or little." She added as an after thought, kicking the bride in the stomach to no effect. Marishka just laughed as they rose. Dei brushed her thumbs over the bottoms of her glove covered fingers, activating the stakes. With difficulty, she maneuvered the claws into the blonde's leg.  
  
"You little wretch!" Marishka screamed, dropping Deianira onto a tree which she easily climbed down. She ran towards Bahlal and Malak, who were busy with the black haired bride. Or rather, the black haired bride was having fun knocking their weapons out of their hands and as one twin grabbed the weapons, she'd grab the other and act as if she was going to bite the one until she disappeared and reappeared behind the other twin. Deianira threw a rock at the bride, hitting her head.  
  
"Deianira, so glad you could join us." She cackled, lunging at the girl, who just managed to spin out of the way.  
  
"No party complete without me." She said, attempting to stab the bride in the arm as it disappeared and reappeared behind her.  
  
"You're aim could use some improvement Deianira." The bride laughed.  
  
"Who the hell are you and what do you want?" Deianira answered, aiming again at the bride, who wrenched the glove off her hand and into the brush.  
  
"How rude of me, I am Verona Dracula. What I want is for my master to get what he wants, revenge on your father." She said, taking the other glove from Deianira and throwing it.  
  
"HE IS NOT MY FATHER!" Deianira yelled as she pulled her dagger out and stabbing at Verona, who sidestepped it with ease.  
  
"So stubborn, Van Helsing, but I suppose it is true, he is a much better fighter than you." Verona taunted, ripping the left side of Deianira's shirt. The girl stabbed the bride in the right side of her chest, making the bride shriek for a moment, then laugh.  
  
"The heart is on the left side you fool!" She cackled, eyeing the mark on Deianira's shoulder, seeming satisfied. The girl launched a series of rapid attacks with her dagger in one hand and her stake in the other- until she heard a scream from the cliff. Forgetting the bride, the girl raced towards the direction of the noise, realizing she had forgotten about Lucia and Sarah, and the bride called Aleera.  
  
"Help!" Lucia screamed as Deianira came out of the forest to see Sarah lying terrified on the ground, looking up at the blonde thing that held a terrified Lucia. Deianira quickly got her crossbow out, but could not get a clear shot of the bride with Lucia in her grasp.  
  
"Put her down!" Deianira yelled.  
  
"As you wish." The bride cackled, dropping Lucia, over the cliff. Without thinking, Deianira ran to the edge of the cliff and dived down, hurtling much faster than Lucia, who was falling on her back. Deianira caught up with the older girl and grabbed her stomach, taking the hook-gun out of her pack and shooting the grappling rope to the top of the cliff. ((Think Spiderman))  
  
Before the rope could stop their fall, Deianira pressed the button Carl had installed to reel them in to the hook.  
  
"Hold on Lucia." Deianira said, holding tight to the girl with one arm and grasping the gun with the other. Finally, they reached the top and fell to the ground, Deianira was panting. A scream from Sarah snapped them back into reality. Deianira looked over to see Aleera repeatedly diving at the girl, who would just manage to roll out of the way. The monster hunter's would-be-daughter quickly positioned herself behind a large rock sticking out of the ground, and shot at Aleera, bracing her feet against the rock. The hook shot through the bride's stomach and stuck their as she howled in pain. Deianira then pressed the reel button to bring the bride straight to her, not quite sure what she would do then. It might have been a good move, had the bride human strength, but, as it was, the handle was being reeled towards the bride, Deianira with it. The girl at first was surprised but quickly got ready to stake the bride as she whizzed closer, until Aleera turned around, smacking the stake out of the girl's hand.  
  
"Hello Deianira." She smiled, grabbing the girl by the stomach with her feet-claws and flying upwards.  
  
"Aleera! We have the information required, he only said to confirm." Verona said, flying towards Aleera.  
  
"Come now, Verona, let's take her to the castle." Aleera pleaded.  
  
"No! Vladslious said only to collect information, and not to kill the girl or her companions yet. Now put her down." Verona said sternly. Aleera sighed and swooped to the ground, dropping Deianira then flying off towards Verona and Marishka.  
  
Deianira walked towards the cliff, where she knew the others would be waiting for her. Sure enough, there they were, sitting on the rock she had tried to use as a brace.  
  
"Deianira! Are you okay?" The twins said immediately as soon as they saw their friend.  
  
"Yeah, fine, nothing wounded but my pride." Deianira said, Verona's words still stung. "You guys?"  
  
"We're fine, a few scratches, but nothing serious." Lucia said.  
  
"What was that all about, why did they come and not kill us?" Sarah asked.  
  
"They talked about revenge on Van Helsing, and gathering information." Deianira said. Then something hit her, "how did they all know my name?"  
  
"I don't know. It is said that some of Dracula's followers are spies in villages, maybe one is here." Sarah said.  
  
"Maybe" Deianira said, "What was that?" For they could hear footsteps coming closer to them. Deianira stood up, stake at the ready for round two. She pressed her back to a tree that it seemed the intruders would go by to get to the children. They came closer, closer, as soon as they were close enough, Deianira whirled around and held the stake to the throat of... Gabriel Van Helsing.  
  
"Van Helsing?" She said, ignoring the rage that was quite visible on his face. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"What am I doing here!? What are you doing here?! I came to see what the brides were doing over here to find out they were attacking you!" He yelled.  
  
"I was walking around the forest when they attacked, is that a crime now?!" Deianira shouted.  
  
"DAMMIT DEIANIRA! YOU ARE TO DAMN RECKLESS! YOU'RE GOING TO BE KILLED FOR YOUR BRASHNESS SOME DAY!" Van Helsing yelled.  
  
"NO I WON'T! I AM NOT RECKLESS, I DIDN'T ASK THEM TO ATTACK ME, I JUST FOUGHT BACK WHEN THEY DID!" Deianira yelled angrily.  
  
"WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN THE FOREST ANYWAYS, YOU KNOW IT IS FORBIDDEN!" Van Helsing shouted.  
  
"AND HAS THAT EVER STOPPED ME BEFORE? IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE I WAS; THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND ME IN THE VILLAGE AS WELL! THEY CAME AFTER INFORMATION ON ME, TALKING ABOUT GETTING REVENGE ON YOU!" Deianira screamed.  
  
"IF YOU WERE IN THE VILLAGE I COULD HAVE PROTECTED YOU, YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!"  
  
"I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF VAN HELSING! I AM NOT THE HELPLESS PERSON YOU THINK ME TO BE!"  
  
"I DON'T THINK YOU'RE HELPLESS, JUST YOUNG! HAS IT EVER OCCURRED TO YOU THAT THREE 400 YEAR OLD VAMPIRES ARE STRONGER THAN SOME SCRAWNY 14 YEAR OLD GIRL! YOU ARE-" He stopped yelling, realizing Deianira had already left. "Let's go back then." He said to the remaining children, turning on his heel, he strode swiftly into the forest.  
  
Dracula's Castle  
  
The brides flew in the window to Dracula's room, changing into their human forms.  
  
"Well?" The vampire asked, "Did Sarah tell the truth."  
  
"Yes, the girl despises being called a Van Helsing, claiming Gabriel is not her father. The mark is on her left shoulder, she is not, however, Van Helsing's parallel in fighting abilities." Verona said.  
  
"Good, this is excellent, my loves." Dracula said, embracing his brides. It was true; the passage from hell to earth had enhanced all their feeling abilities, awakening Dracula's. Still embracing, the four turned to their icy bat forms and went to sleep. Dracula already had his revenge plan worked out.  
  
(((Urgle, I hate this chapter, but it was necessary. Do not worry; the next one will be better. Oh, useless fact, Malak and Bahlal's father is the one who said, "What in the name of Allah's wrong with you?" to Carl, NOW REVIEW OR ELSE!!!! pleasepleaseplease))) 


	7. Day of the full moon and the mark

LONG chapter ahead

"They caught me by surprise, that is all; I will be ready for them next time." Deianira's words echoed in Van Helsing's ears as he sat in his room, the words that had made him forsake their argument two days ago and retreat to his room. He remembered Anna saying that to him, when Deianira had said those words, she had almost looked like Anna, but Van Helsing was being ridiculous, wishing for Anna so much that he had thought that maybe Deianira was a relation, he was being a sentimental fool, Anna was dead and Deianira had no connection with her. Sighing, he stood up; he had to focus on the present, on Deianira, not on the past, not on Anna.

Meanwhile, the raven-haired girl was in Malak and Bahlal's room, talking to the twins; Lucia was asleep.

"But why didn't they harm any of us?" Malak asked.

"I don't know, they said they were just gathering information." Deianira said.

"But why should they not harm us? They could have still harmed or taken one of us, especially you, Dei." Bahlal said, pacing around the room.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" She snapped. "Why did Van Helsing stop arguing yesterday, in the middle of the heat, is what I want to know."

"I dunno, maybe it's what you said to him." Malak said.

"What in those words could have done that to him?" Deianira said.

"Maybe it brought back memories? Maybe it unleashed a 5,000 year old Babylonian god? We're probably never gonna find out." Bahlal said, then, "Tomorrow's the full moon."

"I know, it's tingling already." Deianira said, rubbing the birthmark on her arm.

"How are you going to hide it tomorrow?" Bahlal asked.

"I dunno, I'll wrap a cloth around it, it doesn't glow very bright." Deianira said.

"Be careful Deianira, don't lose control-" Malak was cut off.

"-I won't! I haven't since Zachary, and he's nearly completely recovered." Dei snapped, wincing as painful memories of three years ago came back to her. "It was an accident."

"An accident that nearly killed him." Bahlal muttered.

"Will you two stop it, you're sounding like Gabriel!" Dei said, standing up and walking out the door, Zachary was an accident, why did they always have to bring him up? Besides, that had been on a half moon, full and new moons were not nearly as strong.

Malak and Bahlal didn't try to stop her; they didn't want the things in their room to shake any harder this late at night.

**Frankenstein's Castle ((they relocated))**

"Yes master?" The hooded figure asked on bended knee of the vampire lord.

"Aubrey, you know that I had an antidote to werewolf syndrome?" He asked, when the figure nodded, he continued, "What most people do not know is that I also have werewolf serum, tomorrow is the full moon." He produced a syringe from his cloak, "I need a werewolf."

Aubrey nodded and rolled up the sleeve of the robe, exposing a pale arm.

Screams echoed through the castle that night.

**Natalie's house**

Deianira wolfed down her porridge, impatient to go to the Frankenstein Castle with Van Helsing, Carl and the twins.

"Ready yet?" She asked Van Helsing.

"Let me eat first." Van Helsing replied curtly, it was the fifth time she had asked. Sighing, the girl sat back down at her seat, unconsciously rubbing the cloth she had wrapped around her shoulder.

"What happened to your shoulder?" Lucia asked, seeing the movement. Deianira looked at her arm, she hadn't realized what she was doing.

"Oh, I was practicing with me..." She stopped, pretending to be searching for the right word, "I mean my katanas when one slipped as I was twirling it and sliced me." She said, hoping it was a plausible lie. Lucia seemed to buy it, for she nodded sympathetically and began to eat again.

Deianira felt her impatience rise, not a good thing on full moon days/nights. She excused herself quickly and went upstairs into her room, letting some of her impatience out by making her bag slide back and forth across the room, glad that a full moon was out the day they infiltrated the castle.

"Deianira?" Lucia's voice startled the girl, who accidently sent her bag flying at the girl.

"OH! Sorry! I slipped." Deianira apololied (new word, you figure it out)

"Its okay. Van Helsing said he's ready." Lucia said, "And you better hurry up."

"Finally!" Deianira shouted, grabbing her bag and running downstairs. Silently, Lucia followed her.

"Alright you three, remember, stick close to me and Carl, we are sticking together. Malak, Bahlal, do you have weapons?" Van Helsing said as they rode up. The twins nodded, pulling the silver stakes Deianira had lent them out of the sheaths. Van Helsing nodded, dismounting and tying his horse. "Lets go."

Their footsteps made no noise as they walked down the corridor, Van Helsing in the lead. They heard voices coming their way, motioning the group into the shadows, Van Helsing took out his stake, just in case. The two robed figures walked past them, to absorbed in their conversation to notice, or would have been, if Carl hadn't said, "Are they really that oblivious?"

The red clad figures turned around, one's hood fell off revealing the face of a man maybe 34-ish, "Van-" He never finished the rest, nor did his colleague, Van Helsing and Deianira knocked them out with the hilts of their daggers.

"Now how are we supposed to get around? This place is bound to be swarming with little cult people." Carl said worriedly. "Deianira, what are you doing?"

Deianira had taken the robe of the smaller figure, who wore a tunic and breeches, and was holding it up to Carl, "I think this just might fit, if you tuck it up a little." The girl said in way of reply.

"What?!" The monk yelped.

"She has a point." Van Helsing was sizing himself up with the robe of the man who yelled. "We just need three for the children."

Carl groaned but didn't say a word.

Several minutes, six cult members, and three fitting robes later, five hooded figures walked freely in the hallways, pretending to be deep in conversation whenever a real follower of Dracula appeared.

"Fellows, where are you going? Did not you hear the summons? We are to meet Lord Dracula in the great hall now, something has happened, he wishes to see us all." A young man, Jacob, said to them.

"Of course we heard, we were just making sure no one straggled behind." Malak said quickly. Jacob gave them an odd look, then nodded, "There is no one else, now come." He strode away, the five figures behind him.

In the great hall, close to 200 members were gathered, many had joined them from cults in the nearby villages in the last few months. On the ceiling stood Dracula, gazing down on all of them, making the three children from Rome squirm inwardly, nervous.

"Servants! Do any of you know why I have called you here?" He asked calmly, "Did any of you hear a yell a few minutes ago? A cry cut short?"

"No Lord." The members said.

"Well I did. The cry was, I quote, 'Van.' Who here can tell me what Van might stand for?" He asked them, as if they were pupils and he the teacher. "You, what would Van stand for?" He asked the person three away from Bahlal.

"Van...Helsing, master." The woman said. Dracula was evidently pleased, for he nodded and smiled, his fangs showing.

"Yes, Van Helsing. Why would anyone dare mention that name here, I ask, unless giving a warning? Van Helsing is in this building, I want you to find him, and any companions, and bring them to me. I will deal with them alone, now go!" He yelled the last two words out, to much time with Lucy (fer). The cultists nodded and scattered to search for the perpetrator.

"What do we do?" Bahlal asked when they were alone in the halls, "We should leave."

"No, this is perfect." Carl said, smiling, everybody looked at him curiously. He explained his plan.

"My Lord?" Dracula stopped his pacing and looked up at Bahlal's voice. The three children still had their hoods on, but Van Helsing and Carl, who had objected quite a bit to his involvement, had their hoods off and hands held behind their back. "We have found Van Helsing and the monk."

"Friar!" Carl couldn't help correcting.

"Excellent, you are dismissed, I will deal with these two on my own." Dracula dismissed the children. Everything was going as planned, the children would wait outside the door for Van Helsing and Carl to finish, and they would hightail it, except...

"Why do you not bow?" Dracula queried, surprised, no cult member had ever forgotten. The smart thing would be, of course, to apologize and bow, but Dei wasn't known for doing the smart thing, she did her thing, like now.

"Because the thought of bowing to you makes me sick." The girl replied, turning around and throwing the robe off at Dracula's feet. The twins side and turned around as well, taking their robes off.

"Deianira!" Van Helsing yelled at the girl, Carl only stared in horror.

"Ah... so it is the Van Helsing girl, and her two friends. How sweet, a family outing." Dracula said sarcastically. "Tell me, Gabriel, why did you come here? To kill me? You are not a werewolf any longer, only they can kill me." He noticed Deianira staring at him with a slightly dazed look on her face, "What?"

"You're lying." Deianira said finally, she wasn't at full force on the day of full moon, but she got through his brain enough to tell that. "I dont know how, but I know your lying, something else can kill you." She said with certainty.

"And what would that be, Vladslious?" Van Helsing asked.

"Really Gabriel, you should not trust every guess that comes out of a child's mouth." Dracula said, shaking his head, wondering how she knew.

"Fine, if you dont wish to tell, then how were you resurrected?" Van Helsing had his crossbow out.

"The cult leader, Jacob, preformed a nifty little trick, and now Im back and better then ever. Do you honestly expect that to do anything?" He added, noting the crossbow.

"Only one way to find out." He lifted the crossbow and began shooting at the vampire, who merely sighed as the crossbows hit him. "Honestly, you didn't even bother to put holy water on them. I am disappointed Gabriel, but now, I think I'll start with the monk." He disappeared and reappeared behind Carl, who was too frightened to notice the slip up. Dracula lowered his fangs slowly, delighting in the fear that radiated off the monk, his fangs out, centimeters away from the neck, then he stumbled back a few steps, enough to let Carl recover his senses and hide behind Van Helsing.

"No." Deianira said coolly, her arm thrown out; the cloth had fallen off her arm, exposing the glowing birthmark. Dracula's eyes widened, perhaps he had underestimated the girl.

"Very well then, Deianira, I believe I will take down you first." He ran at the girl, purposely only running at human speed to see what she would do. Deianira pulled out her stake and rushed at Dracula, plunging it into the right side of the chest.

"RUN!" She yelled needlessly, following the others outside as Dracula fell to the ground in pain, this girl was greater threat then he thought. He stood up, grateful the girl didn't know the heart was in the left side of the chest. He transformed and flew after them.

"FASTER, WE'RE ALMOOST THERE!" Gabriel shouted as they ran past, knocked down various cult members. Of course then they felt Dracula's shadow, "DON'T LOOK BACK, KEEP GOING!"

The fivesome were terrified now, they could see Dracula getting closer as his shadow enlarged, but he stopped following them as he got near the sunlight, it wouldn't kill him, but it would hurt.

"REVENGE WILL BE MINE GABRIEL VAN HELSING!" His voice echoed as Carl, Gabriel, Deianira, Malak and Bahlal galloped off into the village.

"Come on." Deianira prodded Lucia, "It'll be fun, me, you, Sarah, Malak and Bahlal."

"Deianira, Van Helsing made it clear what would happen if we went back into the woods, and on the night of a full moon? Are you crazy?" Lucia demanded, it was almost sunset, and Deianira was trying to convince Lucia to go with her, the twins, and Sarah into the forbidden woods.

"Come on, we need some action, some adventure." Deianira pleaded.

"Deianira, you almost got killed by Dracula today, yet yo wish to go and risk your life again?" Lucia asked, exasperated.

"I need some adventure, a good, unsupervised, no-Van Helsing adventure Lucia, now will you come with us tonight or not?" Deianira asked.

"Nay, Deianira, I have this crazy wish to live." Lucia stood up and walked into the house.

"All right, the four of us will meet at the platform around midnight?" Deianira asked Sarah and the twins, all nodded, this was going to be a night to remember.

((OK, I just want to say Im sorry that these past two chapters haven't exactly been great, but the thing is I think about the beginning to the beginning middle, and the end middle to the end, the middle-middle is always hard, but the good middle is coming up next chapter, so dont worry, it wont be in a rut for long, NOW REVIEW OR FACE TE WRATH OF THE FLYING ORANGE BANANNAS!!!))))


	8. Night of the full moon and the attacks

"Is the bandage on right? Can you see the glow?" Deianira asked as she, Malak, and Bahlal crept out of the house to the podium where they were to meet Sarah.

"No, you can't, it's on right." Malak replied, "Good, she's there already."

Sarah was sitting on the platform, wearing all black, holding a lantern.

"It's about time, what took you so long?" She asked, standing up.

"Bahlal here sleeps like a grizzly bear in high winter." Malak said, playfully punching her brother in the arm.

"But we're here now, so let's go." Deianira said. The others nodded, picking up their lanterns and heading into the woods.

"What was that?" Malak asked for the fifth time as some noises were heard to their left.

"look for yourself, it's just a fox." Deianira said, "The clearing is up ahead, shall we stop there?"

The flopped onto the clearing floor, wishing they had brought more water in their canteens. Deianira sat up suddenly, weariness forgotten.

"What was that?" She asked.

"What?" Bahlal asked. "You're starting to sound like Malak."

"I felt something." Dei replied, cocking her head. Then they all heard it, a howl both like and unlike a true wolf's. A howl that grew louder and louder, never wavering until they could hear bounding steps coming their way.

"RUN!" Deianira shouted as the others got up and scrambled into the forest. She followed them, fumbling in her belt for her gun, trying to unholster it. The others turned sharply into a thick grove of trees, but as Deianira tried to follow them, a shadow covered her head as the werewolf landed and turned in front of her, snarling.

Her sharp intake of breath was inaudible to all save the werewolf, who leapt again, gashing the girl's left side and arm with its claws as it landed and turned once again. Deianira let out a small shout, her face and rapid breaths once again betraying her. Curiously enough, the mark on her arm, glowing brightly, was not harmed. She hurled her arm out with a cry and sent the werewolf sprawling into the bushes behind it. Painfully, she got to her legs and grabbed her gun as the werewolf leapt for the third and final time.

Deianira shot it and fell backwards as it sailed over her head and landed on the ground, silver bullet lodged into the ribs. A long, mournful howl escaped its lips as it transformed from a huge menacing beast to a young girl who looked mayhap 12 with long, straight brown hair and brown eyes that glared at Deianira with a ferocity that would make a lion cower. Deianira stared back, feeling a great vacuum open inside her heart as she looked at the dying girl.

"You will not...succeed." Aubrey hissed, "You will...not kill my..." Her eyes closed and her head fell limp, her lips parted slightly to give out her last word and breath, "master."

Deianira only stared in horror at the corpse, her lips moving making no noise. Malak, Bahlal, and Sarah came out of the brush, Bahlal's eyes were dry, but Malak was a bit teary, and Sarah much more then a bit. Nevertheless they went to console Deianira.

"Its ok, Deianira, you had to. It was her or you." Malak said, Deianira shook her head, water running down her cheeks.

"Just dont talk about it, lets go." She turned and began to painfully walk towards the village. "Are you all alright?"

"We're fine, but look at you." Sarah said, "Do you think you'll make it?"

Dei laughed painfully, "Tis but a flesh wound, nothing serious, Ill find a way to explain it in the morning."

She tore off some of her coat, the side that had not been torn, and wrapped it around her wounds as a makeshift bandage until they got to the house. Still, in the forty two minutes it took to reach the village, she stumbled thirty-six times and had to rest thrice.

"Bye Sarah." They whispered as their friend reached her house. She waved then expertly opened her door without making a sound.

The trio walked to Natalie's house to the tree that was right beside the twins' window; Deianira going more slowly then the others, wincing every time a branch brushed her side. They all had to wait a few tense moments when her foot slipped and broke off a small branch with a large CRACK! But no one came rushing to the window, so they made it in without any further difficulties.

"Are you ok?" Malak whispered to Deianira as the twins had to help their injured friend through.

"Im fine, I think I can fix it so Van Helsing won't notice in the morning and I can come up with an excuse later." Deianira grinned and walked out the door, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." The twins chorused as she walked out the door. It was not meant to be.

Deianira walked into the room she shared with Lucia, panting slightly with no intent other then to fall asleep on the spot. She entered the room and frowned, Lucia wasn't in the room. Was that a shadow on the floor?

"Well if it isn't the Van Helsing brat." The smooth, accented voice of Verona was heard as she covered Deianira's mouth.

Pain and weariness left her mind, and the girl whirled out of Verona's grasp, "I am NOT a Van Helsing." She hissed.

"Aww... did Verona strike a sore spot." The red headed bride appeared behind her, grabbing her and covering her mouth, ignoring the girl's attempt to writhe free.

"You dont need your bag." Marishka appeared in front of her and took her bag, dropping it on the ground. The girl bit Aleera's hand and back kicked the vampiress away. She lunged at Marishka who flashed to behind the girl and laughed. Deianira took a stake out of her belt and lunged again, only to be caught by Verona with her arms behind her back.

"Let go of me!" Deianira said desperately, writhing madly to get free.

"Now why would we do that?" Verona asked. Her eyes went purple and she grew fangs, slowly going for Deianira's neck, who was struggling like a wild animal.

"Ooh." Marishka pulled out the sleep-spray bottle from the girl's belt and held it towards Deianira's face "Is this perfume?"

She squeezed the pump, and Deianira went limp.

((((YAY!!!! I HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF THE RUT INTO THE PART THAT IVE BEEN WAITING TO WRITE!!! SO THE CHAPTERS WILL GET BETTER, DON'T WORRY!!! NOW REVIEW OR FACE THE WRATH OF BILL, THE SCHIZOPHRENIC ANOREXIC FLU RIDDEN KLEPTOMANIAC MANIC DEPRESSIVE HYPOCHONDRIAC ALIEN FROM THE PLANET MOOMOO!!)))


	9. The room of 500 mirrors

He couldn't believe it; _this _was the Van Helsing girl? She was the one who killed Aubrey, who escaped him? She had seemed stronger, taller, older. Now, as she lay unconscious on a bed in the room of 500 mirrors, (serving as walls in each of the many corners, plus many on the ceiling and floor designed to disorient the girl) she seemed small and vulnerable. Her long black hair moving ever so gently as her breath moved it on and off her face.

"Lucia." One word escaped her lips as she slept. Dracula stood at one of the walls near the head of the bed, so as not to be spotted when she woke up.

Deianira jumped off the bed and onto the ground, forgetting to open her eyes. When her brain received that message, she shut them again and took a step back, rubbing her temples. The mirrors obviously had the desired effect, reflecting everything over an eternal space and confusing the girl.

Taking a deep breath, then another, and another, she slowly opened her eyes into a room that seemed as large as a ballroom, though it was impossible to tell with the mirrors. The only piece of furniture was the black bed she now sat on in the very center. The room was brightly lit, though the source of the light was not visible.

Dei took a tentative step forward, waiting for the wave of dizziness to pass before she began to walk more confidently to the wall in front of her, counting her steps. About 23 paces in, she felt someone watching her, though no one else was reflected in the mirror. Nevertheless, she whirled around. No one.

"Welcome to my castle." A soft voice said in her ear.

"Dracula." She spat, whirling around to face him. She reached for a weapon in her belt, fear shooting through her when she realized it was gone.

"I did not think it wise to leave your weapons on your person." The vampire said. He grinned and pantomimed ball room dancing, earning an odd look from the human.

"What do you want?" She asked, her face betraying none of the fear she didn't know Dracula sensed.

"Revenge." He said casually, "Revenge on Van Helsing."

"Ha! He defeated you twice, he'll kill you again." Deianira said confidently. Dracula casually backhanded her, sending her flying into one of the mirrored walls. She made no noise as she hit the wall and slumped to the ground, nor did she bother to stand up or even wipe the blood trickling down her back.

"This time Van Helsing cannot become a werewolf, little girl." He said.

Biting back a remark that she was no little, Dei looked past him at the mirror. "Your reflection..."

"I have none. No vampire does." He gave her an odd look, "They sent one so unversed in my kind to destroy me?"

Deianira was silent, it wasn't her fault Jinnette bored like hell.

"Now, these are your quarters for the next few weeks until Gabriel and I meet again." Dracula gestured around him.

"Why wouldn't he come sooner?" She demanded.

"Marishka left a note."

"Saying what?"

"Same place, same time. Any earlier, the girl will be killed." Gabriel Van Helsing looked up from the note he read into Carl, Malak and Bahlal, Natalie, and Lucia's faces/

"Does he mean..." Carl began.

"What else could he mean?" Van Helsing asked.

"What are you talking about?" Malak said, confused at their behavior.

Van Helsing sighed and leaned against the wall, "When I told you of my last encounter with Dracula, I left out a woman named Anna..."

"No way." Deianira shook her head, "He wouldn't have. Your lying." The last words slipped out of her mouth, immediately after she hated the child-like way they sounded.

"No, I assure you what I am telling you is true, Deianira. Ironic, no? He killed his love while his fangs were still wet with the blood of his enemy." Dracula laughed.

Deianira sat on the bed, everything was silent for a few minutes, then,

"He won't walk into your trap again." She spat at his feet. Dracula wondered again if she was a relative of Anna's, she had the princess' attitude. The girl remembered what Marishka had said before she sprayed.

"Is this perfume?" She muttered softly.

"Come again?" The vampire asked, surprised.

"Lucia." Dei looked up at him, "She's a spy."

"Yes. Quite a convincing little actress Rosemary is, no? We thought it prudent to replace the bar wench's relatives with Rose and her grandmother. But you've only named one of the pair." He paused, looking down at her, "Can you guess the other?"

She nodded, saying the word as if it were an evil incantation,

"Sarah."

The girl looked up at the sound of her name, it was Rosemary. "The first phase has been executed, Lord Dracula's revenge is going as planned."

And here is the result of several math classes, three Spanish, and two health. My report card's gonna suck, but at least I got this out, no? NOW REVIEW OR (insert random threat of your own choosing here))


	10. Changes

The bathroom was the only place without mirrors, in contrast, there was not one reflective surface in the black area, or a light, period. She had been surprised at the indoor plumbing, seeing as the Vatican had just gotten it and Dracula was not exactly modern, but she didn't question her luck, and didn't think about it for the four days she had been there. But, the dark, hopelessness of the room made it worse then the reflective, bright room of mirrors. In short, she was pretty much screwed no matter where she went.

Deianira was still asleep when the three brides came cackling in, three days since she had arrived at the castle. She hadn't eaten since, though if she was awake she might have noticed the plate Verona carried.

"Wake up Brat." The eldest bride snapped, shaking the girl awake, she groaned and sat up groggily.

"Go to hell." She muttered, then was backhanded by Marishka into the wall. "Jeez, is that just a natural vampire habit? I want to know if every day I see a vampire, I'm gonna get a headache." She grumbled, trying to stand but finally staying put.

"What, cant the little girl rise?" Verona taunted, then noticed something, "Why do you wear shoes?"

Dei looked down at her boots then shrugged. "Why not?"

"There must be some reason." Aleera pressed.

"Not a one." Dei said with a perfectly straight face. Aleera grabbed her by the throat and lifted.

"Listen, little girl, Dracula has prevented us from killing you, but he's said nothing about harming you. Watch yourself." She threw Deianira onto the bed.

"Farewell for now, Van Helsing Brat." Verona cackled as the three transformed and flew out of the door (ten feet above the ground). Deianira chuckled too, she had thought of a way out.

(A.N. These weapon techniques are completely false from here or any other place I've written them, so don't go trying a crossbow or katana after reading them unless you want make a fool out of yourself)

"No, your aiming with your wrist, aim with your elbow." Van Helsing demonstrated and hit the crude bullseye on the tree. He, Carl, Malak and Bahlal, Luca/Rosemary, and Sarah were practicing for All Hallow's Eve in two weeks.

"Dei…racula will die." Rosemary quickly saved.

"Its him or Dei." Van Helsing agreed, "No Malak, throw the shuriken like a boomerang, not a rock."

_**Dracula's Castle…AGAIN**_

It had been three days since the brides had come with the plate of chicken leg, an apple, and slice of bread. She hadn't had anything to eat since then, but she had figured out an escape plan. She assumed they would come today, but it was getting late according to what Dei figured, and they still had not yet come.

""Come on, come on." Dei muttered, treading the room (103 paces) Right on cue, the three came sweeping in, landing by the bed and putting the plate down.

"Hello Brat." Verona flashed in front of her.

"Nice to see you too Verona." Dei nodded to the vampire.

"So much like her mother." Aleera appeared beside her sister.

"You don't know who my mother was!" Dei snapped, stepping back into Marishka and spinning away.

"But we know who should be. You are so much like her, it wouldn't be surprising if you were a relative." The blonde said, "Though it's obvious Gabriel is not your father, you're far to horrible a fighter."

"Shut it!" Dei lept at Marushka, who easily sidestepped and threw the girl down.

"Eat up Brat, and be careful." Verona said sweetly with darker tones underneath as they changed to bat form, "Wouldn't want you to get hurt."

As they flew towards the door, Dei jumped and sprinted to her pillow and got the left over chicken leg-bone, throwing it towards the closed door. It rotated once, twice, thrice, four times before lodging at the bottom, keeping the door slightly ajar.

"Yes." She whispered softly, wolfing down her food then pushing the bed towards the wall containing the door. After a few unsuccessful bounces, she caught the ledge and hoisted herself up, looking at the ten foot drop below her.

"Right-o, lets go." She muttered, jumping down, sustaining no major injuries. "Almost forgot." Dei bent down and pressed the outer edge of each shoe, where out came a wooden stake. Grabbing each of them, she began to walk towards freedom with a robe 'borrowed' the same way as in the Frankenstein castle, a stake hidden in each sleeve.

The trip to the ridiculously large doors that obviously led to freedom was uneventful. What happened at the ridiculously large doors, however, is a different story going like this:

"Ridiculously large doors equals way out." Deianira told herself, throwing back her hood and walking towards the exit. Until, of course, 4 figures landed gracefully and menacingly in front of the girl.

"Leaving so soon?" Verona shoved the girl onto the ground.

"Without telling us?" Aleera walked towards Dei, who crab-walked back, standing never crossing her mind…until Marishka appeared behind her, causing the girl to jump up and back away into Aleera, who laughed and grabbed Dei's neck, squeezing harder and harder until the kid was sure it would by pulverized and, in her panic, remembered her stakes, taking one out and stabbing Aleera in the heart. The vampire shrieked, writhing as she dropped the girl as she turned into dust.

"ALEERA!" Three cries echoed in the castle, where others picked it up and shouted too as Dei lay forgotten in a daze. Recovering most of her senses, she made a dash towards the door only to be thrown into the opposite wall with sufficient force to crack her skull. Vision blurred, she tried to stand up and found herself lifted into the air. Dracula began speaking, punctuating every word with either a punch or a backhand.

"It-was-my-intention-to-keep-you-alive-until- All Hallow's Eve." The vampire seethed, ignoring the feeble punches and kicks of Deianira, "But-your-dead-body-should-suffice-in-my-revenge. Goodbye-Brat." He threw her to the ground and raised his foot to deliver the final blow to her neck. She seemed listless, yet when he stomped, Deianira with no last name rolled out of the way, that action saved her life and ensured a fate worst them death. Vladslious raised his foot again, but stopped and set it down.

"But would it not be greater if I showed Gabriel his daughter was a…" His eyes glowed purple, "vampire?"

"No." Dei choked, finding the energy to sit up and crawl backwards again as Dracula drew nearer. In a flash, he picked her up off the floor like a ragdoll.

Maybe if Deianira had enough food, if she wasn't starved, if she could concentrate, the stake might have landed and this story would be over. But unfortunately for her, this story isn't ready to end.

Dracula grabbed the wrist with the stake and pulverized it, causing the stake to drop and Dei give out a weak cry of pain. Then he bit down, drinking ravenously before setting the once-screaming-now-deathly-still girl onto the ground.

"Rashel obereshi mortem vida es nesferatu." As Dracula spoke the incantation, Deianira began to change, starting from her feet and making it slowly up to her head, she went into bat form. Only one thing was wrong, Dracula frowned as she opened her eyes, for they were neither her native grey nor the vampires' purple, they were deep green.

"NO!" Deianira leapt at Dracula before her wings escaped her control and stopped her hurdle. "What the damning hell?"

"did I forget to mention all vampires, aside from my lovely brides, are under my complete control?" Dracula smirked, though inwardly he wondered why her mind was still her own.

"NO!" She screamed yet again as her wings took her to her prison and she landed on her bed, turning back to human and careful into to glance at any mirror. She put her hand over her chest.

Her heartbeat, it wasn't there.

She finally looked at the room that had disoriented her on the first day.

Her reflection was gone too.

(((YES!! I HAVE FINALLY FINISHED THE NEXT CHAPTER!!! REVIEW OR FEAR THE VENGEANCE OF MY MUTANT FUZZY PURPLE SLUFGE IGUANAS!! Its your reviews that keep this story gong! REVIEW! BE HAPPY! LIVE LONG! FIGHT THE ZAADAAKIANS!!))


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